The Treasure.

Gija was excited in the morning as their high school term was over and all students were going home.

And this vacation her favourite cousin Ariana was coming down to spend vacations with them. Ariana was  a year older and both of them made a wonderful team.  

She waved goodbye to her friends and hurried out, checking out with their warden. 

As she met her parents along with Ariana, full of joy they climbed into the car and were chattering along.Gija said  "These are going to be my best holidays". 

"I am so glad we are going to granda and granma's farms this time, wish mom and dad could  come " Ariana was saying in an excited voice. 

"So do we". replied Gija's mother sighing. "hope their project abroad finishes early and they could join us atleast for a day or two". 

Ariana's parents were in software technology. 

Next day they were up,  on the way to the farms. 

"WELCOME"...

Granma came softly at the old farmhouse door to greet them. 

Granda was in his arm chair in  the verandah, twinkles in his eyes as he hugged Gija and Ariana. 

" My two precious " he exclaimed. 

" Welcome to your home, house of your ancestors". 

He said "As a child I loved exploring, the farmstay,our attics, the orchards and the green fields with my neighbourhood friend hoping to find the old mapbook which had the map of hidden  treasure of this family!" 

"Father don't give silly ideas to the girls some old rooms are not cleaned and they will get sick in the dustmites and ruin their holidays" warned Gija's father. 

"Treasure Hunt" both the girls exclaimed!. 

Evening after dinner, Granda was enjoying telling tales of the mysterious treasure of the small town and it being in the town in a secret place. 

The treasure also had blessed the town and saved it since ancient times from all dangers, be it famine, war, rough weathers, epidemics etc. So long as the elders passed on these stories to the youngers this small town would always win against any dangers and stand in peace and flourish! 

"Nice story telling way to pass on virtues to the younger generation". 

Gija's mother said yawning, "off to bed you two sweet girls its late". 

"You don't believe his tales, do you aunty"? Ariana asked. 

"Nope, but granda is wonderful story teller always preaching tiny bits in his stories"! 

"But he said they are true, especially the one with the map of ancestral treasure" exclaimed Gija. 

"Oh, don't you fall for that one. Our grandad also once told the story, trying to persuade me and Ariana's father to find the treasure by his stories. But both of, us  brothers found it stupid. 

So girls this is a, very small peaceful town blessed with nature, nothing adventurous here. But if you are from this town you will always love it". said Gija's father said. 

As both the girls were tired after the journey were soon fast asleep. 

Next day they enjoyed their walks in the green farms, the sweet fresh fruits from the orchard and clean country breeze blowing on their face. 

Ariana and Gija, both were enjoying their stay with their granda and granma in their small quiet town. 

One morning both girls went to the attic, pretending to search the lost treasure and searching some gardening scissors for cutting the rose bushes in the garden. 

"Look, looks like a tool box" exclaimed Gija climbing a small stool to remove  it from a small shelf. 

"Hey, this is not a shelf  its an old decorative trunk"! Ariana exclaimed. 

There was a huge old queer shaped, lock to it. 

"Just saw some funny decorative key hung somewhere nwar the column maybe it might fit this lock. Wow what if 8lwe find a treasure in it", joked Gija. 

Ariana turned the key….. and……. 

click the lock opened with a squeaky…… sound as though it was opened after years. 

"This trunk is so huge, both of us can stand in it", exclaimed Ariana bending in the trunk standing on the stool. 

"Looks empty, oh so disappointing we were hoping to find huge no of gold coins in it". laughed Ariana. 

"Maybe there is a, huge, rough cut diamond in one corner in it", joked Gija. 

"Maybe I will climb in it and  search in the corners". laughing Ariana jumped in it. 

"HEY THERE IS SOMETHING HERE". 

Gija curious too climbed in the trunk. 

Ariana was holding something made of iron which looked like  a book! 

"It was fitted in this corner with this clip" 

and Gija clicked it in the clip and……. 

Clank……. the

the iron book opened… 

"There are some pictures in this, looks like old architecture scribbling, different wall structures, hey this looks like our entrance arch". Gija said. 

"What is this nail like protrusion"? Ariana pressed it.

 BANG……….. the false false base pushed down further and the girls went down further screaming in fright. 

"WHO DISTURBS ME….." 

a rumbling voice echoed…… 

Ariana and Gija…. shivering….

"Where are we…….." 

"IN THE ANCIENT TUNNEL OF TRUTH….." 

" How do we get out of here…. "

"WITHOUT KNOWING THE TRUTH….." 

"But we don't want anything……" 

"THEN STAY TRAPPED LIKE ALL THOSE WHO WERE GREEDY OF, THE TREASURE……" 

Ariana, screamed again… as she saw the bones of skeletons scattered around them! 

They heard steps climbing up the attic. 

"THE TRUNK LID SHOULD CLOSE BEFORE ANY ONE COMES HERE TO FIND YOU TWO……" 

"Please let us go……" 

"THEN SEARCH THE TRUTH OF THE TREASURE……" 

"We don't want it… let us go….." 

"THEN FIND THE TRUTH IN THE MAPS OF THE TREASURE….. 

" Where is the map…… "

STUPID GIRL IT IS IN THE IRON BOOK IN YOUR HANDS…" 

Shivering with tears in eyes Ariana whispered…. 

"Where is truth marked in this map of our old house"? 

"IT IS UPTO YOU TO FIND THE TRUTH….." 

"PROMISE YOU WOULD DO IT…." 

"THE TRUNK LID DOOR IS SHUTTING…." 

The lid was closing…… 

only a small space was left to shut it… 

"We Promise…" shouted Gija…. 

"YOU ANSWERED TOO LATE THE LID WILL SHUT NOW AND TRAP BOTH OF YOU….." 

Ariana screamed again…… 

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID GIRL THERE IS NO ESCAPE ONCE THE LID SHUTS….." 

From the small creek of the closing lid Gija saw father's hand coming and clasping half fainted Ariana's hand, she jumped up….. 

Father grasped her hand and…. 

THUMP…. THE LID CLOSED….. 

But father had pulled both of them up from the terrible trunk! 

" We must find the truth in this treasure map", Ariana was mumbling half dazed by, this accident. 

"OH DEAR… Where did you find it"? 

granma asked, "I was searching it but could not find it. As per, old town ritual we show this to the grown up children so the get affiliated to this town culture"!

"What is it.."? 

"GRANDA'S TREASURE….." laughed father. 

"But we heard a voice in trunk of trapping us if we do not find the truth…" 

"OH dear the girls got scared in the dark attic when they fell in the trunk.. 

are you two hurt…." mothet was asking in a worried voice. 

"No there was this voice…even Ariana heard it…..". 

"Yeah.." 

"ITS OK  GIRLS, the attic looks spooky and two of you believing my treasure tales have got scared, mind playing games of noises…" waved off granda. 

"BUT…." 

"Its alright, don't you want to see the town treasure"? Good you two found the key ang clip".granma was saying 

Granda picked the iron book, went to the entrance huge arc pillar and fitted the clip…. 

CLANK…. THE SMALL CELLAR CUPBOARD IN THE WALL OPENED… 

Inside, properly stacked were all odd articles… .. coins, copy of documents, photographs, religious books, habdwriiten notes…. 

"In olden days there was a ritual in the town to keep what you greed for or prefer the most as coveted wish here. 

THEN VOW THAT NO GREED, BONDS, RELIGION, AMBITION, etc. will come prior to human bond and welfare of the town…. Whether it be any misfortune like famine, epidemic, war, natural calamity, political pressure

ALL WILL BE UNITED AND FACE IT TOGETHER… humanity, peace and harmony of the town"! 

THIS HUMAN BONDING IS THE TREASURE OF THE TOWN"..... granda was explaining… 

And…… 

Ariana and Gija were listening in awe to this tale gazing at the small thing preserved there. 

"THE TRUTH OF THE TREASURE…." 

whispered Gija….!.